Jolina exits Philippines; Kiko to dump rain

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Jolina was expected to further accelerate and reintensify into a severe tropical storm as it exited the Philippine area of responsibility last night while Kiko will bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rain over Cagayan.

Heavy to intense with at times torrential rains due to Kiko may be experienced over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands and northern Isabela starting this afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rain may be experienced in the rest of Isabela.

PAGASA said the possibility of Kiko (international name Chanthu) making landfall over the northeast portion of Cagayan was not yet ruled out before the typhoon crosses the vicinity of Babuyan Islands and Batanes between this afternoon and tomorrow.

As of 4 p.m., Kiko was spotted 559 km east of Baler, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kmh as it moves north-westward at 20 kmh.

As the cloud band of Kiko was still far from the Luzon landmass, tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was raised over the northeastern portion of Apayao, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and the northewastern portion of Isabela.

Storm surge of up to two meters and moderate to very rough seas are forecast over the eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon.

Kiko is expected to maintain its strength as it passes close to the mainland of northern Luzon and will weaken by tomorrow morning as it traverses the Luzon Strait.

It is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Jolina (Consun) was spotted 410 km west of Dagupan, Pangasinan and was moving westward over the South China Sea.

PAGASA said Jolina would enhance the southwest monsoon in the western portions of Luzon, Mindanao and the Visayas.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected over Palawan, Western Visayas and Zamboanga peninsula.

Fisherman drowns

A fisherman died while two others remain missing when a fishing boat capsized in the waters off  Buenavista, Marinduque during the onslaught of Jolina.

The body of Jovert Garay, 21, was recovered along the shores of Barangay Tungib.

Garay’s companions – Bernie, 41, and Hermes, 35, both surnamed Villavicencio – survived and were found in Barangay Pinggan and Bellaroca island, respectively.

Authorities were still looking for Almario Mondito, 63, and Bobby Villavicencio, 46, both of Tungib.

The victim and the survivors were part of 16 fishermen who went on a fishing expedition on board F/B Green Horse from Pagbilao, Quezon on Tuesday afternoon.

Green Horse skipper Edgardo Garay said nine of the fishermen decided to swim toward shore when strong winds and waves started to batter the boat.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Jolina displaced more than 80,000 people.

The NDRRMC said 17 people were confirmed missing and reports about two more fatalities were being validated.

P299-M agri damage

Agricultural damage caused by Jolina stands at P299.4 million, data from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operation Center showed.

“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, livestock and fisheries,” the DA said.

Rice accounted for 83.5 percent of the damage or 55,406 hectares with a volume loss of 13,751 MT valued at P250 million.

Corn accounted for 14.7 percent of the damage or 2,164 hectares with a volume loss of 2,197 MT valued at P48.85 million.

A total of 78 hectares of high value crops particularly vegetables and cassava were also affected with a volume loss of 207 MT valued at P4.91 million.

Brace for Kiko

Malacañang urged the public to remain vigilant and heed the advisories of authorities as the country braces for the impact of Typhoon Kiko.

“We are closely monitoring the developments of the operations for Tropical Storm Jolina and preparations for Typhoon Kiko,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

Citing reports by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Roque said 2,045 families or 7,602 people were in 131 evacuation centers as of Wednesday night.

Restoration work is ongoing in areas affected by power outages during the devastation Jolina, according to the Department of Energy.

Power companies have been directed to intensify preparations and readiness as another typhoon threatens the country.

Among those that lost power during the onslaught of Jolina were several municipalities in Batangas, Leyte, Masbate, Romblon and Samar.

Meanwhile, Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said restoration activities were still ongoing in the southern part of its service franchise.

“As of 5 a.m. (Thursday), around 16,000 households remain without electricity. A majority of these are from the provinces of Cavite and Laguna,” Meralco vice president for corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said in an advisory. – Catherine Talavera, Ed Amoroso, Alexis Romero, Emmanuel Tupas, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Danessa Rivera, Ramon Efren Lazaro

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